Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Abousfian Abdelrazik is a Sudanese-Canadian. He immigrated in 1990 in search of a better life as a machinist. In 2002 he flew to the country of his birth to visit his sick mother. And, against his will, he has been there ever since.

He was twice imprisoned by the Sudanese, locked up from August 2003 to July 2004 and November 2005 to July 2006, despite no charges against him. He reports he was tortured.

Apparently his name turned up on a United Nations terrorist watch list. He is suspected of ties to Al Qaeda, though no legal process has shown any connection. He may have known with some shady people at a mosque he attended in Montreal. In April 2008, still on an international no fly list, he took refuge in the Canadian embassy in Khartoum where he is still holed up. The Canadian government has been reluctant to help their citizen and no airline has been willing to book a flight for him. Abdelrazik has four Canadian children, one of who he has never seen.

There are reports that Canada's big southern neighbor may be involved in the quasi-imprisonment of this guy.

Canadian intelligence warned against allowing Abdelrazik to return over fears it could upset US officials, who also have him on a no-fly list.

The daily said Washington labeled Abdelrazik a threat on July 20, 2007 -- the same day he was released from Sudanese custody.

At one point the Canadian government said it would issue him a new passport (guess what, his old one expired while he was locked away?) but now they have backed off. Amnesty International has gotten involved.

"If there are valid security concerns in this case, deal with them lawfully and fairly through Canadian law in Canadian courts," said Alex Neve of Amnesty International.

"It is time for the government to take swift action to ensure Abousfian Abdelrazik is able to return to Canada," he said. "It is time for him to face justice, not injustice."

Not surprisingly, Canadian Muslims are very concerned about this case. If Uncle Sam fingers someone, does he drop in a black hole? Perhaps.

As a United States citizen, I find it depressing that my government is apparently pushing Canada to violate its own legal standards -- and depressing that Canada is going along.

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What's this blog about?

My musings on current events, current projects, current anxieties and current delights.

I started this under the Bush regime when any grain of sand thrown into the gears of the over-reaching imperial state seemed worthwhile.

I have worked to elect more and better Democrats -- and to hammer the shit out of them once we get them in office so they do the things their constituents want and need. It's a big job.

I have endured the dashed potential for a more transformational regime under Obama. The man has made himself an accomplice in the imperial crimes of his predecessor as well as committing his own. He has also almost certainly been the most progressive president most of us will live to see. I fear we'll look back on his years in office with mild gratitude for a respite from national leadership that was habitually stupid and vicious, as well as wrong.

Visitors here will find a lot of commentary on books I'm reading. I am very intentionally reading intensively offline these days. When it feels hard to find direction, it's time to learn something new.

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About Me

I'm a progressive political activist who runs trails and climbs mountains whenever any are available. I've had the privilege to work for justice in Central America (Nicaragua and El Salvador), in South Africa, in the fields of California with the United Farmworkers Union, and in the cities and schools of my own country. I'm a Christian of the Episcopalian flavor; we think and argue a lot. For work, I've done a bit of it all: run an old fashioned switch-board; remodeled buildings and poured concrete; edited and published periodicals, reports and books; and organized for electoral campaigns. I am currently an independent consultant to organizations seeking "help when you have to make a fight."